The following letter was written by Oliver Woolcott Whitney (1817-1864) while serving as the proprietor of the Collins House in Des Moines, Iowa. He wrote the letter in early June 1861, before any serious blood was spilled in the American Civil War. He wrote the letter to his younger brother, Silas Daggett Whitney (1820-1903) of Pittsfield, Ohio. From the letter we learn that the two brothers held differing views on the war—one apparently more supportive of the Abolitionists and the other blaming them entirely for agitating the question of slavery to the point where nothing short of war would settle it.

Oliver was the son of Milton Watrous Whitney (1786-1839) and Lydia Cleveland (1786-1869), early-day settlers of Pittsfield, Ohio. He was married to Esther Rising (1820-1871). Little else could be found regarding his life.

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Des Moines, [Iowa]
June 2, 1861

Dear Brother,

I have been very busy for a few weeks past which is the reason I have not written you. I suppose Frank Wadsworth & Milton are at home and you have seen them & learned what we are doing out here. We moved last week to the “Collins House.” Before we were running two houses for a few weeks. I have been in the war business some—that is, I boarded the soldiers & got paid for it.

Alice is quite unwell with a swelling on the right side of her face. The doctor thinks it will not injure her materially. Esther has worked too hard & is not very well now. I have travelled around & stood up so much my legs will come off or give out I am afraid.

We have had an extra session of our Legislature of two weeks past and we had 12 board with us at $5 per week & could have had more if we had not had the soldiers. Well they have all left & I hope we shall get some rest.

You think I am differing with you in the war matter. Now I am in favor of sustaining the government at all hazards, but if the Abolitionists & Nigger Stealers in Ohio & elsewhere had not existed, then there would not have been any war now in my opinion. I suppose you think the U. S. Government in this war intend to liberate the slaves as the Oberlinites have preached for years. But the Republicans here say they will do no such things. Some say here it is nothing but a Nigger Squabble.

I have foreseen trouble coming for a long time & when such Abolitionists as Josh Giddings & [Horace] Greeley take the course they have, no wonder there is war. They have wanted to destroy this government for years past. But I believe there are conservative men enough left to preserve it yet. I suppose you won’t agree with me in this matter so I may as well drop it.

I wish you would come & see us. What does Frank & Milton say? I had not time to go around with them as I wished. Still I hope they will come & see us again. I was glad to see them.

What are you doing now? Tell Milton & Frank they promised to write to me & send me some papers. I received two from Asa today. Why don’t you send me some? Lt us hear from you soon. Our love to you and Electa and your children. and to Mother. Yours ever, — O. W. Whitney

To S. D. Whitney, Esq., Pittsfield, Ohio